more fruit woes

[gan heather]

In addition to discovering an apple tree I bought from Aldi has a bad graft, I also found that another apple tree had been stolen from my lottie (I had a bad fruit tree day yesterday). The problem is, that last autumn I ordered a Vranja quince which is due to arrive any time now. I'm now really reluctant to put fruit trees (at least ones that cost more than 4 pounds) on my allotment cause there have been other tree thefts besides mine. I tried canceling the order, but they said it's already been shipped (I haven't received it yet, so I have emailed them to clarify exactly when it was shipped to make sure it's not a mistake).

So my real question is...what do I do now? My new apple trees I'm going to train as cordons alongside a bramble patch because I think they'll be much less obvious than how my stolen one was planted. But I've read quinces are mainly tip bearers so can't be trained that way. Could I grow it in a (large) pot? Wouldn't help at my lottie, but my in-laws might not mind if I kept it at theirs.

[gojiberry]

Sorry to hear you have a problem with theives. Very difficult to padlock fruit trees and even if you could the would be thieves would probably damage the tree out of spite. I believe that quinces can vary in size but that even the largest would be quite happy in a large tub as they are a bush rather than a tree. I only have an ornamental one but no matter how hard I prune it comes back stronger and always has masses of fruit each year.

Ian

[gan heather]

Thanks for the advice. Think it's gonna have to go in a tub.

[Two_Sheds]

another apple tree had been stolen from my lottie

How on earth? Do you have high gates or can people just walk out with stuff? Is it really worth stealing a tree, it won't replant well.
Have you had a walk round your site looking for it?

[gan heather]

How on earth? Do you have high gates or can people just walk out with stuff? Is it really worth stealing a tree, it won't replant well.
Have you had a walk round your site looking for it?

I did have a quick look around, but didn't see anything. We have a problem where there are extra keys floating around from past tenants who we believe are the ones coming in to steal things (there have also been vandals who cut the lock, come in, and break things, but this is different). This has been an ongoing problem. There's a person/people who appear to do their grocery shopping at the lottie: a few carrots here, a pumpkin there, some onions, etc. And then we've also had tools go missing, now my tree, someone else's tree went awhile ago...
We seem to discuss having the lock replaced ad nauseum ad infinitum. The council won't pay. At our past meeting we decided to buy it ourselves, but we still need to seek council permission - I'm not sure yet how that went down.

It's just really upsetting because I had a whole fruit area planned for my lottie (and had already started on it) and now I can't do that. I just really hope nobody steals my other fruit bushes!